Directing Mr Perfect

Telugu director Dasarath, who has films like Santosham, Sambharam, Sree and Swagatham to his credit, is back after a three-year haitus with Mr Perfect. The film has been produced by Dil Raju.

Mr Perfect stars Prabhas, Kajal Agarwal and Taapsee Pannu, and is slated to release tomorrow.

Dasarath talks to Radhika Rajamani about the making of the film and his cast and crew.

What made you do Mr Perfect?

I have known Dil Raju for quite a few years now. One day he called me and asked me to write a script on relationships from the youth point of view. After discussions, we arrived at a story. Essentially, it's about relationships and break-ups. It's also about career and life.

Does the hero become Mr Perfect?

The story is a journey towards becoming Mr Perfect.

Who has written the script of the film?

I wrote the story. The screenplay is written by (newcomer) Hari and the dialogues are by Abburi Ravi.

How did you zero in on Prabhas for the main lead?

Right from the beginning, Prabhas was our only choice as he fit the bill. So we took the idea to him. He found it interesting and asked us to come back with the story. After four and a half months, we went back with the full story. He liked it and said yes.

Prabhas sports a totally different look in the film.

Yes. He plays an NRI, who stays in Australia. His look has been styled according to that.

He has also lost weight and seems to have had a total makeover.

Yes. He worked hard to get that look. And he maintained it for a whole year as the shoot was spread across a year in different countries and locations. The credit should go to Prabhas for working so hard.

You invariably have two heroines in all your films. Why so?

They are not there for the sake of glamour and also, I don't encourage bigamy! The story makes me have them. Out of the five films of mine, only in three films have I had two heroines. In most of my scripts, the story runs over three-five years and therefore one gets to see different girls in that time period.

How did you choose Kajal Aggarwal and Taapsee Pannu as the female leads?

Kajal is glamorous. I felt she could effortlessly step into Soundarya's shoes. She plays a mature city girl in this film. Taapsee is a talented and dedicated artiste. She plays an NRI and is a bike racer. She learnt and drove a 1000 cc bike herself.

Taapsee has dubbed her dialogues in the film too. How has she fared?

Very well. She is a hard-working girl.

Why did you choose an English title?

It is most appropriate for the whole story.

How was Dil Raju as a producer?

He's not a producer, he's the maker. He never discusses the film's budget.  He's always thinking of what's best for the script. He keeps that spirit in everybody.

Where is the film shot?

It is shot in Malaysia, Sydney and Bangkok. Then, Tenkasi and Pollachi in Tamil Nadu.

Veteran director K Vishwanath is also acting in your film (after Santosham). What does he play?

He plays the grandfather. Working with such a great person is a pleasure. He is humble and nice and has helped us a lot.

What would you like to say about your technical team?

We had Vijay Chakravarthy on camera, Peter Heins directing the action sequences and Devisriprasad composing the music. Then, there was art director Ravinder and editor Marthand K Venkatesh. All of them have done a terrific job.

What can one look forward to in Mr Perfect?

The film is a complete entertainer. It's a summer special. The story is the highlight. We are repeating the successful combination of Prabhas and Kajal after Darling.

You are releasing the film during IPL. Aren't you worried about crowds staying away from the theatres?

Films are running irrespective of IPL. Summer is the best season for films.

Have you thought about your next project?

I have not yet decided.